Why Does my Dog need a CAT Scan?

CAT scan stands for computed axial tomography and is also sometimes called CT imaging (computed tomography). It is a form of three dimensional x-ray imaging that provides information to veterinarians that cannot be obtained using ordinary diagnostics - plain radiographs (x-rays) or ultrasound.

CT scans are often used to help diagnose diseases of the head, the source of nasal discharge, diseases of the chest, and diseases of the bladder. CT is very helpful when planning complex radiation for cancer treatment, as it can supply information about the location of the cancer and what normal vital structures are around the cancer.

CT imaging is also extremely important in solving the mystery of wounds that won't heal. Recently, a young dog was referred to AERA because he had a draining wound on his chest that refused to heal. This dog had accidentally run into, and speared himself with a stick nine months prior to the referral. Wood is extremely problematic when involved in deep wounds as it tends to splinter, creates severe localized inflammation, and serves as a source of infection. What makes it very difficult to remove is that the wood itself cannot normally be visualized with radiographs (X-rays).

The CT images revealed the tiny (3/4" x 1/4") splinter of wood that had caused all of these problems for so long and also showed that the sternum or chest bone itself had become infected. Surgery could then be targeted to remove not only this troublesome wooden splinter but also all of the diseased and infected tissue associated with it. Because the injury was so long standing and the body had created extensive inflammatory tissue to wall off this foreign object, it was a surgical challenge even with all of the information the CT scan provided. It was easy to see why the prior surgeries were unsuccessful.

The dog recovered well from surgery and now, nine months later, is living a happy, infection-free, splinter-free life. His owners hope that, in the future, he will navigate a little more carefully when running through the woods.